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25 Jun 2012

The Jumbie of his own free will has asked me to post this up. He suffered a serious heart attack this morning [2012-06-25] around 06:00AM. He had been admitted to Hospital for a bout of angina over the previous few days. Obviously, being tough like a bison – and with the excellent responsive medical attention from a first world medical team, he has survived this very close call.

At about 2012-06-25 17:05 BST, I was lucky to be able to speak with the Jumbie by mobile phone whilst he was in his hospital bed. Yes – no burly, sweaty, ill-mannered ‘ward attendants’ barking, “Ayye!! Ayyye!! Yuh cyah doo dat!! Turn it orf!! Turn it orf!!”

Events unfolded between about 02:00AM and 06:00AM this morning. Jumbie was unable to fall asleep due to chest pains and other cardiac (heart) related symptoms. There were ECG changes that suggested a worsening of his condition. And would you believe, at 05:21 he was busy posting on Facebook!!?? Yes he was! Chrysst!!! He had posted, “Is the substrata a believer of religious doctrine??” Shortly after this, he fell seriously ill. A nurse was in attendance – and had gone to find some equipment. She returned within seconds to find Jumbie almost unconscious. He told me that he was aware of all that was going on, but could not move except for his eyes and to breathe. Jumbie was stunned by how sudden it all happened. A team of medics and nurses rushed to the Jumbie and began working on him; IV lines and IV medication etc. No – his heart did not stop, but almost did.

For a while he was unable to speak or respond. His arms and legs were totally weak but he related (in our conversation), “It was like a mind trapped in a body that couldn’t move.”

He was stabilised quickly so that they could then rush him to theatre for emergency treatment. They found one artery in his heart was blocked and that had to be stented. Shortly after that, by about 06:30 AM, he was back on the wards.

Importantly – yesterday morning the Jumbie was given the option to be discharged home and return as an outpatient, . However, in conversation above, he emphasised that he had listened to his ‘substrata’, which led him to opt to remain in hospital. Had he not listened to that inner voice and had succumbed at home, he most probably would have been a goner. It’s interesting therefore that he was posting a question about the ‘substrata’ at 05:21 in the morning, whilst still rather ill.

When we spoke, he was in good spirits and delighted to be still alive – so much so, that I was able to give him yet another ribbing, about how much this first world rock has done to save his life. This is the second time around and a much closer call with ‘eternity’. He stressed that, “Within 5 seconds I was incapacitated.. and every second counts!!”. I could sense how time flowed in his mind. Very sobering thoughts indeed his emphasis on ‘time’ – the seconds do flow so much more slowly when one brushes against eternity. This is a wake up call for all.. make every second count. Put away petty differences.. make the most of the time we have.

“Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend, Before we too into the Dust descend; Dust into Dust, and under Dust, to lie, Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and--sans End!”

------------- Omar Khayyam

[Updates: will be posted here as I get them. I will visit him on 28th July]